Police to question six people, including three women, in custody over madrasa blast

Police say three more arrests have been made in connection with the incident

Police have been granted permission to interrogate six people, including three women, in custody following a blast at a madrasa in Hasnabad, Keraniganj, after three more arrests.

On Sunday evening, Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Mahbubur Rahman issued the orders at a hearing on the investigation officers’ petition.

Those remanded include the madrasa director Al Amin’s wife, Asiya Begum, 28; her elder brother’s wife, Yasmin Akter, 30; Asmani Khatun, 34; Shahin alias Abu Bakar, 32; Aminur alias Darzi Amin, 50; and Shafiar Rahman Fakir, 36.

The women were remanded for three days each, with the men seven days, according to prosecution Sub-Inspector Bishwajit Debnath.

South Keraniganj Police SI Jahirul Islam, the case officer, sought remand for the six accused under the Anti-Terrorism Act -- Shahin, Aminur, and Shafiar for 10 days, and Asia, Yasmin, and Asmani for five days.

SI Bishwajit argued in favour of the remand, while the court inquired about the relationships among the suspects.

Jahirul told the court that the madrasa director, Al Amin, the key suspect, spent the night before the blast making explosives, prayed Fajr, and went to sleep.

The explosion occurred around 10:30am the following morning, demolishing two rooms of the building. Asiya is Al Amin’s wife, while Asma, Yasmin’s sister-in-law, is also implicated.

Asmani had allegedly previously been linked to militant activities but was granted bail in a terrorism case seven months ago. Shahin faces charges in four cases linked to militant activities, while the remaining accused were his associates.

Asmani’s lawyer, Gausur Rahman Siraji, sought bail, emphasising her prior acquittals, her teaching role at a madrasa, and lack of involvement in any banned organisation.

“Neither my brother, my sister-in-law nor any relative had any involvement in this incident. My husband Al Amin left me in charge of the madrasa while he served his sentence. I did not know of his actions; had I known, I would have informed the police. He abused me, and I feared being implicated.”

The suspects had been arrested Saturday in South Keraniganj.

Al Amin, his wife Asiya, and their three children, including sons Umair, 10, and Abdullah, 7 -- both identified by single names, were injured. Police said Al Amin fled, leaving his family behind. Umair sustained burn injuries and trauma from the collapsing structure.

Explosives and bomb-making equipment were recovered from the wreckage. The case was filed by SI Md Liton of South Keraniganj Police.